Ashok Gehlot orders probe into deaths of around 1,000 migratory birds around Rajasthan’s Sambhar lake; water samples sent for testing

Jaipur: The state government has ordered an investigation into the death of around thousand birds in the vicinity of Sambhar lake, said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday. [caption id=“attachment_7640871” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Carcasses of migratory birds found near Sambhar Lake. ANI[/caption] Terming the birds’ death as ‘worrying,’ the Chief Minister said that the government was taking “immediate steps to prevent deaths during this migratory season.” “Protecting flora and fauna remains one of our top priorities. Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) and several teams of the Animal Husbandry Department are at Sambhar Lake. Chief Wildlife Warden (CWLW) and CCF are monitoring the situation,” he said. The Chief Minister said that water samples have been taken and sent for testing. “Carcasses are being sent to Bhopal for testing for bird flu. Toxicologists have also been called from WWI and SARCON, Coimbatore,” he said. “Once investigations are complete, we will do everything possible so that no more birds lose lives,” the Chief Minister said on his Twitter handle. According to an officer, around thousand birds of 20-25 species were found dead Tuesday morning around Sambhar Lake in Dudu. The authorities believe that the deaths were caused due to water contamination.